A Magical Goodbye
by iloveromance
Summary: At Mr. Magorium's funeral, Mahoney is comforted by the people she loves most in a way that even she can't believe.


Standing in the cemetery on that sunny day, Mahoney was completely and utterly numb; unable to feel anything at all. Anything but unimaginable sadness, that was. Her boss, her confidant and her best friend was gone forever, never to return.

She'd cried enough tears to fill a thousand goldfish bowls and still the tears kept coming. How could he just leave so suddenly with barely any warning at all? It was all but impossible to look at his headstone-the one that read:

_1764-2007_

_Toy Impression_

_Wonder Affectionado_

_And Shoe Wearer_

_Magorium_

Mr. Magorium may have been 243 years old but it wasn't enough; it would never be enough. She wasn't ready for him to leave, even if Mr. Magorium himself was.

Blindly she looked around the cemetery. Flowers of every color and type imaginable surrounded the headstone and the line of mourners stretched for miles. Wearing her best black dress (her only black dress, actually) she stood with Eric by her side. Eric wore a black suit which made him look like the most handsome little boy on the planet. Mr. Magorium would have been proud. But she could only smile a little. It all seemed so final.

She wondered what would become of her life, of the store. She should have been proud; honored, actually that Mr. Magorium cared enough to give her the store. She knew that it had to have been the hardest decision he'd ever had to make. But she was terrified. She wasn't magical, not at all. The magic was in Mr. Magorium and now it was gone.

It was but a small consolation that she'd gotten to tell Mr. Magorium goodbye and that she loved him. But it wasn't enough. She wasn't ready.

"I'll never be ready." She said brokenly, letting the wind carry her voice away.

"I know. Neither am I."

The familiar voice made her turn around and she gasped at the sight of her friend.

"Henry… What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you're doing here. Saying goodbye."

Tears fell onto her cheeks. "But I'm not ready to say goodbye."

Henry smiled and touched her shoulder. "I know."

"What should I do? I –I don't…"

"Let me ask you this. What would he want you to do?"

"I-I don't know! I- I can't run the store! I'm not magic like Mr. Magorium! I'm not! I'll ruin everything! I-."

When she began to sob, she found herself in Henry's arms, the recipient of a soothing hug. He held her for a long time and it was then that she noticed that Eric had joined in the hug as well.

"It's all right." Henry said. "I miss him too. But don't worry. Everything will be all right. I promise."

She drew back and stared at him. "How can you possibly know that?"

The wind rustled the trees and carried a voice with it.

_Listen to him Mahoney. The Mutant is right. Everything will be fine._

She blinked. "Mr. Magorium, is that you?"

_Yes, Mahoney._

"Mr. Magorium, I don't know if I can-."

_Of course you can, Mahoney. You've always been able to do this._

"But I'm not magic! You are!"

_Everything will be fine._

Exasperated she sighed. "Why does everybody keep saying that?"

_Because it's true._

"I miss you so much!"

_I miss you too, but I'll always be with you-in your heart. You'll find your sparkle, Mahoney. I'm sure of it._

"But-."

_Goodbye Mahoney. Always remember me. I love you._

"NO! Don't leave! Please!" She shouted.

But he was gone, vanished into the wind.

She fell onto her knees sobbing. Instantly Henry and Eric were beside her, helping her to her feet.

"Come on." Henry said after several moments had passed. "The other mourners are waiting to pay their respects."

Mahoney looked up at Henry in surprise. "Where are we going?"

"To the store."

"But why?"

"To find the magic inside. It's time."

She looked up toward the heavens and sighed. And then a smile. "You're right. Mr. Magorium wouldn't want to be remembered like this, in a cemetery. He'd want to be remembered in the place that he loved most."

When they reached the darkened store, Mahoney unlocked the door and opened it. A gust of wind blew and then something magical happened. Instantly the store seemed to come to life in a way that it never had before.

She stepped inside and looked around in amazement.

_This is your doing Mahoney, not mine. It's your store now. Make it special._

She looked up and smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Magorium. Thank you. I promise to make it the most wonderful place in the world."

Beside her, two voices echoed the same sentiment.

"It already is."

THE END


End file.
